NOLA Days & Nights
by thefishoutofwater
Summary: Follows on from my story Transatlantic Telephone Calls - Alex, Cristina and Meredith get reacquainted face to face in New Orleans. What's still the same for the three friends and what is changing?
1. Chapter 1

A/N This comes directly after my story Transatlantic Phone Calls and whilst the general gist is that Meredith, Cristina and Alex have been in regular contact over the years since Cristina left it might make more sense to read it first.

We break off from Canon at the end of Season 13 – assume Meghan is still in a staging hospital and is yet to make it to Seattle. Also with thanks to a guest reviewer on an earlier story who referenced the "De Luca debacle" I liked the phrase and have used it here!

The doors of the Grand Salon of the New Orleans Hilton opened with a slight creak late Wednesday afternoon and the sounds of a room of people springing back into life rose like a wave. Individuals started to leave the room whilst larger groups moved more reluctantly; phone numbers being swopped, hands being shaken and promises to keep in touch being made.

Cristina Yang, hair styled and dressed in a dark, sharply cut suit found it harder than others to leave the room than many. With almost every step she was greeted and congratulated by people keen to meet her. Her hand was shaken vigorously and one person slapped her firmly on the shoulder before rethinking when faced with a glare. By the time she had gotten to the door to the entrance to the foyer she was carrying any number of sheets of paper – resumes and papers for review. A patiently waiting surgeon from Savannah was disappointed when she abruptly excused herself and ploughed through the slowly dispersing crowds. Many of those same crowds, the great and the good in cardiothoracic surgery, were surprised to see their keynote speaker all but run into the arms of the waiting Meredith Grey, dressed in casual trousers and a hoodie, and the two women hug, laughing and talking quickly whilst jumping up and down in apparent glee.

"What are you doing here. I thought we were meeting at the hotel?" she eventually asked,

"And miss your moment? Not likely. I crept in at the back to listen. You were amazing Cristina. Not just the content and the research but the way that you held that audience. You were flawless."

Cristina smiled,

"I know right? That was so much fun. One of these things every six months or so; almost as good as surgery."

Meredith laughed at her friend,

"So, I thought I'd go sit in the bar and wait for you to finish meeting your subjects. Sound like a plan? How long do you think all the ass kissing will take?"

She looked at her watch,

"I can't imagine it being long. Most people are leaving tonight, and they've put coaches on to the airport leaving over the next forty-five minutes or so. Will you be okay on your own?"

Meredith gave a slightly cynical laugh and Cristina looked momentarily uncomfortable at her choice of words,

"I've brought a book. Not a journal you understand, nor is it a picture book or early reader chapter story. I'm going to sit at bar and drink a glass of wine with my book in the middle of the day confident I'm not going to be disturbed by anyone who wants to go to the bathroom. I will be more than okay on my own."

Smiling despite herself Cristina nodded and turned back into the thinning crowd.

Just under an hour later, Cristina hopped onto the bar stool next to Meredith, pointing at her almost empty glass she asked,

"You want another one or shall we stroll back to the hotel?"

"If you don't mind let's head back. I came straight from dropping my stuff and I could really do with a shower. Besides compared to your sartorial elegance I look a wreck."

"Cool. I took my bags over this morning so I'm good to go."

The two friends strolled gently in the late dappled sunlight,

"Mer?"

"Yes"

"Where's Karev? Did he decide not to come?"

"What? No! I'm guessing he's back at the hotel by now. He said he was sore. He was in the OR most of yesterday afternoon and evening and he said between that and the flight he needed to go for a run."

"Karev runs?"

"Yes, always has. He eats like a pig – I'm not sure he knows what salad is; he'd be huge if he didn't do something. Although to be honest I think he just wanted to give us some time alone."

"That seems unusually sensitive."

"Come on. You know he's not the awful idiot we first met."

"Of course he isn't but at this point I don't know how not to insult him. I think we'd both find it confusing and uncomfortable if I stopped."

The two friends smiled comfortably as they crossed and turned up Canal Street enjoying the simple pleasure of being together.

"Do you know I'm not sure the last time I was out in daylight and not rushing somewhere or lugging at least one child with me."

"Well you're the one who picked one of the hardest jobs in the world and then went and had three kids."

"And I wouldn't swop any of it."

"Really?"

"No. I can't not work. I mean, I needed the time after Derek died when I was pregnant with Ellis and I'll always be grateful for it but earlier this year, when I was suspended I thought I was ready to die of boredom. And I wouldn't be without any of the kids, even if right now I'm liking the idea of a couple of nights away."

"What about research. You were doing such interesting research during residency."

"And I will again. But right now, I'm in surgery pretty much every day, I run my department so I get to do things my way and we innovate where it's sensible. If you'd have asked me in our first weeks of intern life how that sounded less than 15 years later I would have told you it sounded like a dream. The research it will come, either when the right question asks itself, or when the kids are older, and I go find it."

"That all sounds very zen."

"Hey I've been in therapy! I am zen." Meredith through her head back and laughed as they waited for the elevator, "I am however pretty sure I also stink. Shall we say cocktails at 7, dinner at 8? That should get us the club you wanted for the 11 o clock show right?"

"Done. See you later." And Cristina stepped out of the elevator pleased at how easy and natural their reunion and conversation had been.

It was just after seven when Cristina arrived at the restaurant on the ground floor. Looking round she was surprised to see Meredith and Alex already at the bar, stools pulled closely together and a third standing off to the right and claimed by Meredith's purse which she held firmly down in place. She stood for a moment and watched her friends. Meredith head tilted slightly up held Alex' gaze and she appeared to be talking whilst he, a patented Karev quarter smile on his lips and was firmly shaking his head. A slightly bemused barman watched them. Cristina walked over, undeniably happy to see them both,

"What's she trying to talk you into Karev?"

"A cocktail," he turned to her, "I just want a beer."

"But we're on holiday." Cristina instinctively supported her friend as they exchanged amused glances.

"I knew this was a bad idea. Coming away with you two." His tone did not match his words and Meredith rolled her eyes,

"Alex is currently in training for a grumpy old man. He graduates any day now." She teased.

"So, you aren't trying to persuade me to get one of only two tequila based cocktails on the menu so that you can get the other one, then try mine, steal it and finish it? You'll have two drinks and I'll end up with nothing." He turned to the barman, "I would like a Wiseacre please and to save us all, she'll have the cocktail that comes with the sunglasses," he managed to both raise an eyebrow sardonically and looked down at the menu at the same time, "a sunset in the courtyard."

"Maybe I wanted the other one. The bilquis blessing?" Meredith complained,

"Then maybe you'll get that next time." His tone was full on sarcastic, "Or just order now and stack them?" He turned to Cristina who had been enjoying watching the show, and handed her the menu, "Come on Yang, pick otherwise you're playing catchup."

Conversation flowed easily as the three chatted through their drinks and their starters. As the server cleared their plates Meredith excused herself,

"I'm just going to ring home and say goodnight to the kids. I'll be back before the food comes." Alex slipped out of his seat to let her step by.

"Does she do that when she's in surgery?" asked Cristina

"If she's in work she tries to speak to the older two at some point between the end of their school and kindey days and bedtime. Ellis is still at the hospital daycare. We all try and go up at some point during the day."

"You all go, you make it sound like a cult." She laughed although not maliciously.

Alex looked at her suddenly more serious,

"Do you not remember what she and Shepherd were like when they had Zola and then the little guy. They'd be up and down there every chance they got. It's not Ellis' fault she's number three and her dad's not about any more."

"I didn't mean anything by it." Cristina felt vaguely chastised. Alex tilted his head slightly,

"I know. Look my parents were pretty crappy to me, can you imagine how uninterested they were in my sister by the time she showed up! Dropping by for a couple of minutes in the day is no big deal."

Cristina looked towards the door where she could see Meredith on ion the street, phone to her ear,

"How is she really doing?"

"Shouldn't you ask her?"

"I will, but its always helpful to get more than one perspective."

"Cristina Yang asks for a second opinion! Intern me would never have believed it."

"Don't make me regret it!"

"Alright. Short answer I think quietly relieved she doesn't have Riggs breathing down her neck wanting more than she's ready to give. Long answer; feeling all sorts of complicated things about the fact he's got a second chance with his first love when she knows she'll never get that. But," Alex held his hand out in a conciliatory gesture, "before you despair about all the things that typically happen with Mer's feeling complicated and conflicted, she's okay. She's certainly not doing the nutty cleaning thing which I don't think anyone could handle again. She isn't doing the bars and inappropriate men thing. Worst scenario I see is that she'll find herself an impossible case and throw herself into making it possible."

Cristina looked at him, intrigued by his thoughts,

"So have you spoken to her on this?"

"The long answer, no. All my assumptions are based on what she's not said. And you know what they say about assumptions. I could be a million miles off." He paused, deciding whether to say more, when he felt a sharp rap on his ankle, "Ow!"

"She's coming back." In a louder voice, "All done and sent to bed?"

Meredith smiled,

"Almost. Although Zola is very cross we haven't sent any photos yet." She passed her phone to Alex, Bailey wants to know if he can have a quick word before bed."

Alex took the phone and slipped back out of the booth heading away without another word to his two friends although they heard him as he walked away,

"What's up buddy?"

Cristina watched him walk away, a pensive look on her face,

"Is he very involved?"

"Involved in what?" Cristina pierced her with a knowing look and Meredith faltered slightly under the gaze, "The kids? Everyone pitches in so yes and he's pretty good with Bailey especially."

"What will you do when he moves out?"

"Moves out where?" Meredith sounded surprised.

"When he goes back to Jo Wilson, or finds someone else. Or in fact realises he's the head of paediatric surgery at a renowned hospital and maybe shouldn't be living in his friend's spare room like a college student."

"I'm not sure any of those things are on the cards right now," Meredith was calm, "and if they are then we figure it out. Kids are adaptable, and I talked to them when Amelia bounced in and out and when Alex has in the past. Don't worry my kids are as mentally well-adjusted as they can be. Considering."

Cristina looked at the serious set of her friends face and decided to let the subject drop,

"Okay then. How are you really?"

"About Nathan? I told you on the phone kind of relieved. He's a good guy, the sex was great but I'm not sure that's enough to pull him into my kids' lives."

Cristina nodded, biting her tongue to avoid highlighting the difference between Meredith's last two statements. Meredith paused a moment and then continued,

"He needed to go back to her. It was the right thing to do. In a strange way for me as much as for him. If I got another chance with Derek I'd have grabbed hold so hard and so tight." She sniffed slightly, "if he hadn't gone I'd have been even more pissed that he got the chance and I never will."

Cristina nodded supportively thinking how close to the truth Alex had been in his assumptions. He re-joined the table taking in the solemn mood. He dropped the phone gently in front of Meredith and gave her arm a quick squeeze and a questioning glance as he slotted back in to his seat. She shook her head quickly in a move that did not go unnoticed by Cristina.

The server arrived with the entrees and conversation bubbled up again, purposefully light as the three friends teased and laughed together.

"Is there anything anyone wants to actually do tomorrow?" Cristina asked as she tucked into her fish

"Sleep until I wake up." Alex was vehement and drew smiles from the other two, "I know it might be a waste of a great city but I have a sleep debt I want to pay."

"I'm happy to wander enjoying having no real purpose tomorrow. So long as I get to be outside and take some photos for the kids then I will have had a good day…although I do hear the pharmacy museum is good."

Alex reached over to Meredith's plate and picked at some of her confit garlic off the side. She mocked glared and pointedly reached over to his plate spearing a piece of watermelon. Cristina spoke,

"I guess I should be thankful you don't want to go to the museum of death? You would have once upon a time."

"Nah, I looked. It's all serial killer stuff. The pharmacy one has got surgical instruments from the 19th century. Much cooler. But before you've gone soft I do think a tour of one of the cemeteries could be interesting too." Alex rolled his eyes, "People will expect us to have done some touristy things. I mean have you ever actually been on vacation before?"

"So long as you don't want to go on an open top bus then I'll do the museum and tour with you. I don't think either of us are really open top bus people."

"You really aren't." Alex was in agreement. He reached across the table and tapped Meredith on her hand to get her attention, "they do however have a ferry boat. If you wanted to, take some time."

She smiled gratefully, "Did you look that up?"

"No." he admitted, "It's in the pack of papers Maggie printed off and shoved in your bag. I went through them on the plane while you slept."

"The head of cardio had time to play tour guide?" Cristina was confused,

"No, my _sister_ is trying to make amends for being, well, difficult about Nathan. My sister is, even after losing her mother, undeniably upbeat about life generally and is very excited to a) have the children almost to herself for the weekend and b) see me going and doing something for me."

"Sounds perky." Cristina did not sound approving and Alex smirked,

"She can be. But not totally annoying. She hit a homophobe and she is loud, loud, loud in the bedroom!"

"You slept with her sister?" Cristina was louder than she had intended, she lowered her voice and corrected herself, "you slept with another one of her sisters?"

Meredith let out a rare peal of laughter as Alex shook his head furiously looking vaguely nauseous. She smiled again and decided to help out,

"Oh no. But anyone who's shared a house with Maggie when she's getting it on knows that she is not shy. She's been having a dry spell but before that I had to ask her to keep it down with Zo started asking questions."

Not for the first time that night Cristina decided to leave a topic well alone,

"Shall we get the check then?"

It was nearly four hours later that the three returned to the hotel. They were merry if not drunk and bickering about the music they'd been listening to as they clambered into the elevators,

"I'm just saying it's not dancing music." Meredith complained,

"It's not supposed to be. It's skilful and haunting and different every time." Cristina had been a fan of the second set of music they'd listened to.

"You said we could go dancing."

"And so we shall, tomorrow night."

"I said I was not dancing. No dancing"

"You're boring."

The light flipped to the second floor and the elevator pinged,

"Come on you," Alex encouraged, pointing Meredith gently towards the corridor, "second floor. This is our stop. Night Yang."

"Night Cristina see you at breakfast." Meredith confirmed as she left the lift and strolled down the corridor rooting in her purse for a keycard.

Alex nodded a goodnight and Cristina muttered a response as she held the doors open watching Alex pick up pace to catch up with Meredith, her eyes questioning. She cursed under her breath as they turned a corner out of sight and denying her curiosity. She withdrew her arm and hit the forth floor button.


	2. Chapter 2

Cristina pointed at a family about to vacate a bench in Jackson Square,

"That bench is mine." She said firmly and set off at pace down the path. Successful she took a seat and placed her arms across the back of the bench effectively claiming it until Meredith could join her, phone in hand.

"Well, I don't think you can't say we haven't seen a fair selection of the sights of NOLA and I have the photos to send home to prove it."

"Mer?" Cristina, raised her face to the warm sun as she spoke, "What was the thing about ferry boats last night? You've not done that yet."

"Derek loved ferry boats," Meredith started

"I remember."

"So sometimes I go on the ferry, up onto the top deck if its not raining and I, well," Meredith stopped talking, inexplicably embarrassed sharing the information with her best friend, "I talk to him. Maybe ask about something going on, or just tell him about our lives. I know it's weird, but I find it soothing."

"And Alex knows about this?"

"Of course. Sometimes he comes too, or he'll stay with the kids if I'm going," Meredith turned to a sceptical looking Cristina, "Look I love my sisters I really do, and we've found this sort of balance that mostly works. But Maggie, she grew up in this great stable family. She goes to her mom's grave and she wouldn't understand. Not really. I mean she'd say all the right things but then she'd look at me all sad and mournful and it's too much effort. Amelia and I, we try not to talk about Derek. She'll always be mad at me for not calling. We've moved on, but she's not forgiven me. You aren't around. Who else would I talk to about this?"

"Fair enough." Cristina looked to break the grave atmosphere, "Look it's super tacky and really obvious but it's also expected." Meredith looked quizzically at her, "We should go to Pat O'Briens and drink hurricanes. It was part of our list."

Meredith looked at her watch, "Why not it's late afternoon. We have nowhere to be. We've been responsible adults and had breakfast and lunch; let's go drink sickly sweet cocktails."

Cristina pulled up the map and they set off in the right direction, Meredith texting Alex as she did so.

They found themselves a spot at the end of the bar and ordered drinks,

"God that is sweet." Christina commented as she took a large slurp from her glass.

"Not unpleasantly so though. It tastes better than the punch you'd get at a college party."

"If only we were still at college."

"If you were still at college you'd be banging your professor and we wouldn't have met yet."

"Well you'd be traipsing around Europe banging half the continent." Cristina half smiled and shrugged, "Strictly speaking I am banging my professor. I mean Seb is a lecturer at UCL as well as still practicing medicine."

Meredith smirked at her friend,

"Great growth there for, what fifteen years?" Cristina took another large mouthful of her drink as Meredith continued, "ever think you've got a type?"

"What? Older than me, fiercely intelligent, great in bed; exceptional doctor? Other than a couple of misteps along the way that's my type. I'm okay with that it works for me. I know what works! Anyway you say this like surgeons aren't your go to."

"The last few at least have been about opportunity and proximity more than anything else I think." Meredith surprised herself with the honest thought as it popped out, "It's not like my dating pool is huge. April was trying the Tinder thing but I'm not convinced and I'm not desperate enough to start picking up divorced dads at school functions." She swigged the end of her drink, "Excuse me bartender another round please."

"You're trying to tell me that Kepner's on Tinder? Kepner, virgin til her late twenties, couldn't look at Avery without blushing Kepner."

"Things change. A bit."

"Hey it's Karev," Cristina her third large glass in hand, elbow on the bar waved at the doorway some time later, "He took his time."

He moved his way through a growing crowd to join them, standing in the small space between their stools,

"Try this." Meredith turned to him all but shoving her drink in front of his face. He sniffed at the bright concoction doubtfully,

"I'll take a beer please. Whatever's on draft." He paused and looked at the two women, "and maybe some nuts or chips or something for these two? Maybe something with carbs. It looks like there's some soaking that could be done here."

The barman pointed at a pale blue labelled bottle and Alex nodded.

"You know Karev," started Cristina a serious look on her face, "that jacket. It's ugly."

Alex startled, he'd been wearing the black causal jacket for a while, "This jacket. I like this jacket."

Cristina nodded sadly, "It's really ugly. U-G-L-Y".

Meredith directed a slightly wobbly finger at his collarbone and poked several times,

"Cristina speaks the truth. It's ugly. It's got these odd stripes on them," she touched the stripe, "and they always look dirty. Also, the collar," she touched his neck just above it, "it's a funny shape. Face facts ,Alex your jacket is ugly."

He rolled his eyes slightly, "I'll live. Mind, given you've not been shy about picking my ties and suits of late you might have mentioned this earlier. But it doesn't matter I like my jacket."

"You pick his clothes?" Cristina lasered in on the most interesting comment,

"No! It's a good day if I can persuade Zola what she should wear. I may have expressed an opinion on a tie or two during the whole De Luca debacle but no I have four people to by clothes for, I'm not adding a fifth. I don't even really like clothes shopping. Well any kind of shopping at all really."

"You're rambling Mer." Cristina cut her down as she sucked in the last of her drink, "Another round please?"

"You guys are going to be wasted within the hour at this rate." Alex observed,

"Did you have a better plan?" Cristina asked reaching for the new drink and taking a large mouthful that the barman had poured into a plastic cup.

"We should take photos!" Meredith announced suddenly remembering her promise to her daughter the night before. She pulled her phone out of her purse,

"Hand it here and you two spin around." Alex took the phone from her and unlocked it navigating to the photo app. He snapped a couple of shots as the two friends struggled to turn on their chairs to face him, and then posed cups in hand, "There we go." he said as he navigated to the best of the set and sending it Cristina's phone.

"Now you as well." Meredith was exuberant, "We'll do a selfie."

Alex shook his head furiously as Cristina reprimanded her,

"No. No. No. We are absolutely not selfie people. I will not flip my hair and pout at a phone. No. No. No."

The barman who'd been enjoying the antics of the two women since the beginning of his shift laughed as he admired Meredith's smiling, happy eyes,

"Let me do it."

Alex handed the phone over reluctantly whilst watching Cristina's spin her chair with gusto coming almost back round to face him with a confused huff. He placed his hands on the back of Meredith's chair and gently moved her back round to face the barman checking to see if Cristina had managed the same.

"You guys ready?" the barman called out. Alex took a step closer to the back of Meredith's chair sliding his hand up slightly until it rested on her shoulder, "All right one, two, three. And I'll take another one… two for good luck. Have a great night folks I'm moving to staff the piano bar now. Lucas will be here to look after you soon." He had thought about maybe slipping his number to the taller woman but as he looked at the group he decided it was not worth it and handed the phone back to Alex.

Alex flipped through the three photos and again sent them to Cristina's phone and this time his own before carefully tucking it into the pocket of Meredith's bag.

"We should dance," announced Meredith, watching a group of predominantly women who had formed a make shift dancefloor. Cristina shook her head slightly and swigged her drink. "Cristina…" Meredith dragged the name out in a long whine, "We've not danced in forever. Come on!" She leaned back slightly against Alex' chest and tipped her head up until she had eye contact, "Is there even any point even asking you?" He shook his head amused at her antics which were reminiscent of any one of her children trying to get their own way, "Useless!"

"I'll hold the seats" he made a slight reach for her cup, "and maybe the drinks?"

She smiled deviously at him and drained the cup as she slid to the floor. She took Cristina's hand and pulled her firmly towards the other dancers as the music volume kicked in,

"See it's fate," She announced, "let's do this!"

Alex gestured for another beer from himself from the new barman and then turned to watch his friends.

Cristina had pulled the clip that had been half holding her hair back shaking it out as she went. No sooner had they arrived near the edge of the dancers than she started bouncing and jumping with gusto, hands waving furiously in the air. Meredith turned towards her and started spinning round on the spot matching Cristina jump for jump, her shoulders bouncing in time to the music.

Alex took a mouthful from his drink and enjoyed the moment. Meredith was always wonderfully carefree when dancing and he'd enjoyed more than one show as he arrived home to find the sisters 'dancing off' a hard day or Meredith spinning and dancing with her children, terrible pop music playing in the background. Tonight though, watching her with Cristina seemed different; the delight on her face there for all to see. Despite himself he smiled as he watched the two join their hands above their heads as they pogoed furiously, hair flying around their faces as their tops slipped upwards to flash hints of abdomen as flat and firm as the day they'd all met.

He shook his head slightly as he turned his attention back to his drink thinking about all the times he'd seen the two women, so serious and capable in the OR, so joyously letting their hair down. Parties to celebrate and dance outs to commiserate filled his memory. He recalled the time shortly after Izzie had left and they had tried to talk him into the tension releasing benefits of dance which he had declined quickly. He was brought back to the present abruptly as Cristina's sweaty arm was thrown over his shoulder as Meredith's equally damp arm slid around his waist.

"So much fun," Christina said panting slightly as she tried to catch her breath, "Did you get another round in?"

"I'm not sure I could drink another one of those hurricanes," Meredith slight slur had developed into glue teeth whilst she was away, "do they have a margarita?" She reached for the menu, "Yup I'll have a CAT 5 margarita."

"I would like an early onset Alzheimer's," Christina announced.

"Cristina!" Alex rebuked as Meredith snorted,

"Dark." she commented.

"Cool yourself," Cristina warned Alex, "it is a fine drink, a fine drink of my own creation – a shot of mezcal on top of… of… the blue stuff."

"Curacao?" Alex queried. "That sounds disgusting...and potent."

"It's excellent." Cristiana confirmed adamantly, "it really… hits the spot. I wiped Altman and Bailey out on them when I was being a barmaid."

"Is there any point at all in me saying this is a terrible idea?"

"No point whatsoever. Hi there…" Cristina squinted across the bar and the barman's name tag, "Lucas. We would like a hurricane, a CAT 5 margarita, and whatever boring beer my boring friend over here is drinking. Then we would also like 3 glasses which should contain 3 oz of curacao and a 1 oz of mezcal."

Lucas looked at her suspiciously,

"Are you sure, that does _not_ sound like a good drink."

"I am a surgeon," Cristina proclaimed, "A shit hot surgeon in fact. I am pretty much at the top of my field in innovative cardiac care," she pulled her lips into a parody of a smile, "you can trust me Lucas." She slammed money down on the bar,

"It's not your heart I'm worried about with that, it's your liver." The man made one last ditch attempt.

Meredith who had been staring into space, eyes half shut opened them widely, her left hand meandering in the air like a child who is not sure of the answer in class,

"I have livers covered. General surgery that's my bag," she grinned sloppily, "I am also very good. I've done over twenty wipples this year and lots of general surgeons won't even try," Lucas looked confused, "people come to me for my wipples. I'm that good."

"Twenty?" Cristina leaned in front of Alex to meet Meredith in a high five, "You are on fire."

"Seriously man," Alex joined the conversation, "I've known them for years. There is no way to win this. At some point she," he gestured at Cristina, "will just try and pour her own," a finger pointed towards Meredith, "and she will ramble until you lose all sense of time and place and offer her anything to stop. I advise you just pour the terrible drinks. Please?"

The drinks were reluctantly poured and Alex headed off to the restroom encouraging the two to stay behind at the seats. Whilst only gone for a couple of minutes he came back to find the drinks over half way finished and the two leaning against each other somewhat sloppily.

"Is it time to call it a night?" he suggested hopefully

"Nah we've time to dance a bit more." And with that they disappeared back through the crowd, now noticeably thicker.

"Wife and her girlfriend?" The barman asked sympathetically,

"No." Alex paused briefly lost in the memories of when his wife might have been on the dance floor with the two women. "Just very old friends. When people have seen you at your worst they get a free pass or two, you know?" Alex asked the bartender. He looked at his waiting drink, glowing ominously, "but at some point you've got to draw a line." He pointed at the offensive drink, "That's my line. Can you throw that away please?"

He looked back over to the dancefloor. Where before the two had been jumping up and down in a fairly tight confined space they were now covering a lot more of the floor in just about uncontrolled circles as they danced vigorously. As he watched Meredith swung her head in time to the music sending a cascade of hair flying around her. Cristina bopped her head and neck clicking her fingers above her head. They were shameless in their enjoyment and it was captivating to watch.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. He was not the only one captivated. Two men wearing oddly matching checked shirts approached the two women. Cristina stopped dancing to listen to what the taller had to say and then shook her head, wagging her finger in front of her chest. She took Meredith's hand and turned them pointedly away from the interlopers. Alex felt his temper start to bubble as the other man ran a finger up Meredith's arm; an arm which she was quick to pull away. The hand returned and held her tricep apparently trying to turn her towards him.

"Enough." He muttered striding towards them. Almost immediately he felt Meredith's palm flat against his chest,

"It's okay Alex." He felt himself calming slightly as the other man backed off hurriedly,

"Sorry man. Didn't mean anything" he said as he left.

"Moron," Alex muttered none to quietly, "Now you two fun's over. I'd like to get back while you can both still walk. I have no intentions of carrying you both."

Meredith looked at him hopefully as she impotently steadied herself against Cristina,

"Any chance you'd carry one of us."

"Grey. Walk. Now"


	3. Chapter 3

Alex lay in bed, fingers entwined above his head. In the shifting grey shades of the early morning he could make out the two comatose forms of Meredith and Cristina sprawled on his second bed. This was not, he thought wryly, exactly how he had seen the weekend going.

Despite all efforts from the two women to thwart him, he had managed to drag them back to the hotel and piled them into his room, justifying to himself that he'd be happier if he could keep an eye on them overnight but also acknowledging that he did not have the energy to root around in purses for room keys and then to lug them both to two different rooms.

He turned slightly towards them to see Meredith firmly on her side facing him. He smiled despite himself. She was breathing deeply, an occasional honkingly loud snore escaping her lips. Her hair, so often seen braided firmly behind her head was splayed across her face, sticking slightly to her lips. An arm hung loosely over the side of the bed, her fingers curling open towards him. He looked to the bedside table and saw she had, despite her arguing as he had laid her down apparently finished the water he'd placed out for her. Resigned he padded out of bed and over to the bathroom picking up both glasses to fill them up. Returning he placed one glass on Cristina's side and the other on Meredith's. He paused for a second and almost reluctantly reached a hand out to smooth the hair away from her face, his fingers lingering for a moment in the slightly matted knot at the back of her head.

"You know, I wondered if you guys were sharing a room."

Christina's voice was loud in the darkness and Alex jumped, feeling embarrassed.

"What?" there was an edge of panic in his voice, "No. It's not like that. You know that."

Cristina sat up gently in bed and peeled her sweater off leaving her in a tank top, as she looked carefully at Alex through slightly narrowed eyes,

"Are you so sure?"

"I think I'd know," Alex tried to mock his way out of the conversation feeling unusually tense, "you'll see none of her things are here. This is my room, she _should_ be a couple of doors down." He paused and took a deep breath, "Just like you should be upstairs. But no. You both drank enough liquor to knock out an elephant each and are now snoring in my room."

"Nice side step." Cristina called him out, but gently,

"Side step nothing. You're drunk Yang, get some sleep. We aren't as young as we were. You'll have a hell of a hangover in the morning."

"I'm made of stronger stuff than that. I'll be fine. So, I say again are you sure it's not like that?"

"You're drunk. I learned early in life not to have serious conversations with a drunk. Take an advil and go back to sleep. You'll thank me in the morning."

Her eyes speared him in the half light of the room,

I'm just saying be honest with yourself. Tell me you've never thought about it?"

Despite himself Alex found himself responding, his hand still hanging loosely over Meredith. Even half cut Cristina Yang had a commanding way about her,

"I'm not blind. But that isn't what we are."

"I repeat. Are you so sure of that?" she was confident and smiling at him, "I see things. I hear things."

She popped the pill and leaned back against her pillows, holding a hand out to stop him interrupting her,

"I listen to you on the phone you know. Half the time you're together finishing each others sentences and talking about this family you've made together,"

She sat forward again despite herself, her finger wagging slightly as he started to speak,

"Don't kid yourself Karev, the two of you, and the child prodigy, and the Shepherdess; you're bringing up those kids. You're a family. Anyway when you aren't together a significant proportion of your conversation is filled with news and worrying about the other one. It's not just you. It cuts both ways."

She paused again whilst Alex found himself flushing slightly thoughts scrambling in his head. She continued,

"I'm not stupid enough to think a man and a woman can't be friends you know. Platonic is a thing. I just," she paused, and Alex wondered, with some relief, if she had drifted back off to sleep. Nearly a minute passed as she muttered, "I just wonder if it's your thing these days?"

Alex sank gently to the edge of his bed and distractedly scratched the back of his head. Cristina apparently satisfied she had said her piece nestled down into the bed and turned away, snuffling a little as she did so. As she pulled the covers more closely to her the sheet moved away from Meredith's lower body uncovering her bare leg. Alex stared and then shook his head slightly noticing for the first time her discarded jeans near the doorway to the bathroom. He rubbed his temples tiredly, his eyes struggling to break away from the pale, toned sliver of skin.

* * *

Meredith woke suddenly. Eyes scrunching tightly against the bright sunshine streaming through the window. She quickly undertook a catalogue of her hangover. Head – definitely throbbing. Mouth – dry and tasting unpleasantly like roadkill. She sniffed at herself. Once and then deeper, mouth pursing and nose wrinkling as she did so. Sweaty and vaguely alcoholic. Memories – jumbled and unclear. Snapshots of her night floated across her closed eyelids. There were shots, then long garish drinks. A feeling of euphoria on the dance floor as she moved freely, happy to be with her friend. A moment where the world tilted unpleasantly and then the safety of Alex's arms steadying her. Alex, lowering her carefully into bed. Alex's sardonic smile as he handed her a glass of water and a tablet. A moment in the darkness, grabbing at the doorframe as she kicked her jeans off. The sense of a murmured conversation. She paused, shaking her aching head slightly and cautiously prised her eyes open, sitting up slightly.

The doorway to the bathroom opened and Alex stepped out, towel around his waist,

"Shit! Sorry!" his hand shot to the knot at his waist and moved quickly up and in front of his bare chest, "I thought you two would be sleeping. Give me 2 mins to grab my clothes."

Meredith watched barely comprehending as he headed for his bag, open on the small sofa next to his desk. Clothes spilled from it and littered the floor around his feet. She watched the muscles pull in his back as he bent over the bag moving speedily. She swallowed deeply,

"You're a pig Alex. Why did you not unpack?"

He turned, "Two nights Mer. Not even 2 full days. Why would I unpack? Life's too short. And less of the pig please. Do you know how difficult it was to get you two settled last night. How loud you snore?"

"My snoring is a lot better than it was. Initially Derek couldn't handle it. Used to wander in the middle of the night trying to get away. He said it got better after I had Bailey."

Alex turned watching his friend's face soften as she remembered,

"Hmm well I think after drinking your own body weight in questionable cocktails you may have reverted to type. Now why don't you drink that water and take another tablet and maybe think about waking sleeping beauty there. We're going to need to check out and get to the airport before you know it."

The door to the bathroom swung shut.

"You were checking Karev out."

Meredith turned quickly to look down at her friend who was smirking,

"I was not."

"You were too."

"Was not."

"You were. And apparently the sight of his surprisingly firm abs has resulted in you dropping to reasoning skills that Zola would be embarrassed by."

"I…"

Cristina laughed at her friend's discomfort.

"You were checking out Alex Karev. The fun I would have had with this ten years ago."

Meredith started, as if to deny it again but paused interested by her friend's choice of words,

"You seem to be having plenty of fun with it now."

"Well yes but things are different now. I mean he's clearly a better person than he was back then. He's _your_ person. You have a family together."

Meredith looked surprised as Cristina sat up to lean back against the wall, her head close to Meredith's shoulder.

"We're family. We don't have a family together. There's a huge difference Cristina."

"Is there? You said you wouldn't consider doing a relationship again until it felt like family. Isn't that exactly what you've got?"

"No that is not what I meant."

"Hmmm," Cristina paused, "I think it was. I've been listening to you both on the phone for years, I've been reading the e-mails and I've watched you a lot this weekend. You are so embedded in each other's lives it's hard for anyone else to get a look in. Wasn't that part of Wilson's problem? She started out his friend only to find top friend spot was already taken. Top everything was already taken really. And you… you didn't give that army doctor a chance, you never let Nathan in, but then you didn't need to. There was already someone at home, a man in your kitchen, in your kids' lives."

"He's my person Cristina. He's like you."

Cristina smiled and dropped her head slightly on her friend's shoulder,

"I think it's different. You don't need another me. You already have a me. He's something different to you and I think you know that. God if you touched me half as much as you do him, I'd wonder if you'd decided to try a bit of lady loving."

"I don't." Meredith's tone was uncertain,

"You really do you know. But that's not really the point. It's time Meredith. I don't say this to hurt you, but Derek isn't coming back. You are a wonderful woman at the top of her game, and you deserve to be loved again. You deserve to be respected and loved. You deserve to come first to someone. Also…" Cristina lightened her tone as she climbed out of the bed running her hands through her hair, "You deserve fantastic sex."

"And you think I should be having this fantastic sex with Alex?" Meredith felt her face flame.

"If you do then I don't want to hear about it."

"You don't want to hear about it, but you've given it enough thought to know it would be fantastic?" Meredith grappled to take hold of the conversation,

"Please. We've heard enough over the years. Izzie…" Cristina dropped off.

"Yes, yes. Izzie, Lexie…I am not going to have sex with Alex." Meredith's voice raised an octave even as she whispered the words, glaring at the door to the bathroom, imagining it swinging open at this most embarrassing of times. "I am not having this conversation. He's too important to throw it all away on a great night in bed."

Cristina who had been making her way to the door, turned back to Meredith, a broad grin on her face,

"Great night? You make it too easy I swear. Look I just think," she held her hand up as her friend tried to interrupt, "I just think it wouldn't be the worst idea. And before you get all caught up in your head I'm not saying you should just jump him…although," she cocked her head mischievously, "I just think you're in danger of missing out here, and for what? Fear? There's nothing to fear in giving it a go. The man adores you. He's still a frustrating, stubborn pig but he'd lie down in flames for you, and your kids... and it transpires he is incredibly well defined under those awful t-shirts! Now enough of this I am going to get a shower I feel gross. You might want to do the same. You stink."

Meredith sighed in frustration as Cristina slipped out the door with a wicked laugh. She let her head fall back against the headboard and closed her eyes tiredly, hands in front of her face.

"Yang gone?" she was disturbed from her rest by Alex, washbag in hand.

"Erm, yes," she was inexplicably nervous as she looked at her friend in the doorway, "I'll just…I mean I need to do the same thing."

Her eyes flitted away from Alex and his questioning look. She threw the covers back and was mortified to see her bare legs,

"Missing something Mer?" Alex's voice was light.

"I.. erm…" Meredith cursed her missing friend. Usually she would not have spared a second thought and would have hopped out of the bed in her panties to retrieve the abandoned jeans but Cristina and her oh so reasonable tone and all of her assumptions had her second guessing herself. Her thoughts were rudely disturbed as her missing trousers were flung onto the bed next to her. She looked up and saw Alex looking at her an unreadable expression on his face. He turned away giving her some privacy as he manhandled his discarded clothes into his open bag.

"I'll see you in reception in a bit." Meredith, now fully dressed and feeling more confident headed out of the doorway.

* * *

The plane banked sharply as they levelled off after a steep ascent. Meredith sat firmly in her seat, eyes tightly shut, bottom lip gripped between her teeth. On the arms of her seat her own knuckles turned white as she focused on trying to regulate her breathing. From her right she felt Alex' head rest gently against her own, his breathing deep and regular. As she relaxed, just a fraction, she felt his hand, soft and warm rest over the top of hers. He held it there carefully not to put too much pressure on her as she slowly relaxed a little more.

She leaned her head slightly towards his, enjoying the quiet of the moment and his calming presence as the adrenalin slowly dissipated and her breathing evened out. In the back of her head, against the thrum of the engines she tied to ignore an annoying nagging in her head that sounded suspiciously like Cristina.

This wasn't anything, she argued to herself. This was just a person helping his person in a moment of frozen terror. It didn't mean anything more than that. Couldn't.

In the next seat along Alex allowed himself to smile slightly as he felt Meredith's fingers release the seat and gently shift to twine lightly with his. Yang, he thought, might have been talking utter shit, or she might have a point. He was content, Meredith was okay and they were on their way home. Nothing else really mattered.


End file.
